Center Store

More retailers are taking a leading category management role to drive some growth once again into the center store.

Call it aisle management, trip management, store optimization -- the future of merchandising will be built not around products, but around consumers.

TORONTO - At a ceremony last week at Grocery Innovations Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) presented three sets of annual awards for retail excellence among independent and franchised stores: Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards, CFIG Master Merchandising Awards, and the Arnold Rands Heritage Award.

For smaller retailers especially, the discipline can still be somewhat of a mystery.

SEATTLE - Mariners Gift Cards, the first single, stored-value gift cards to be offered by a major league baseball team, will be available Nov. 22 not only at all seven Mariners Team Stores in Washington state, but also at 150 Safeway supermarkets in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, according to published reports.

Montvale, N.J. ¿ The Food Emporium, a division of A&P, last week launched a same day delivery service covering most of Manhattan that includes products from its produce and floral, meat, seafood, deli and bakery, catering, grocery, and GM/HBC departments.

SUNBURY, Pa. - Weis Markets will open a new 54,244-square-foot replacement superstore in Pennsburg, Pa. Saturday, November 13, replacing a nearby 33,841-square-foot unit, which will close at the end of business day Friday, November 12. This new replacement unit is part of the company's ongoing efforts to convert the majority of its stores to its superstore format.

SAN ANTONIO - H-E-B Grocery Co. and Southwest Airlines joined forces yesterday to celebrate H-E-B's 100th anniversary by delivering the largest food bank donation ever made in a single day.